


nightmares

by anon_drabble



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Night Terrors, Nightmares, No Incest, Triggers, abuse recovery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 18:34:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16224914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anon_drabble/pseuds/anon_drabble
Summary: another dialogue prompt request. this time it was: #1: “The doctor said it’s normal” - “Well that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”i kinda had to decide if i wanted to get more serious or lighthearted with this one but it ended up being serious in the end. hope you enjoy!slight warning: this is dealing with saeran’s abuse. it’s mostly vague but could be triggering so please take care.





	nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted on my tumblr: https://anon-drabble.tumblr.com
> 
> if you have any requests, feel free to send them in.

He whimpered, the sheets twisting between his legs. He was sweating but freezing. Saeyoung reached over with a damp, cool cloth to gently dab his twin’s forehead with. Saeran objected, though it was to what was happening in his dream. Saeyoung knew, though. He remembered the dreams. Should he wake his brother up? Saeran swatted something away, then covered his face. His expression contorted into fear and horror. That was enough. Saeyoung couldn’t take it anymore.

“Saeran. Wake up. Come on. Wake up.” He gently but firmly shook Saeran, taking care to not restrict his arms or make it feel like he was restraining Saeran. It took some time to rouse Saeran but soon, his brother’s eyes fluttered open.

Saeran saw Saeyoung over him, the red hair practically screaming. The dream was still fresh. He immediately turned over and vomited into a bucket that had been left on his bed. His night terrors had been so bad that the nurses had left a bucket for him as he was frequently sick when he woke up. Seeing Saeyoung there, a face so near after such a violent dream, Saeran felt like he might have still been trapped. He wiped his mouth and glared at Saeyoung.

“Why’d you wake me up? Didn’t the doctor say to let me sleep?” The care Saeyoung was showing him almost made Saeran sicker than the dreams of abuse he suffered.

“I remember the dreams,” Saeyoung said. The memories still haunted him, so many years later. Finding Saeran again had made them return more often. He knew how real they felt, the bruises he’d get from thrashing in his sleep. The exhaustion, mental and physical. He remembered how much it hurt.

Saeran was angry at his brother but he was silent. His brother had abandoned him but the hatred Saeran had long harbored had faded since his rescue and his detox treatment. He would never admit it out loud but he felt a little more...complete with Saeyoung around. Not happy but like there was one less piece missing in his life.

“Will we ever stop dreaming of her?” Saeran asked.

Saeyoung shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. We have a better chance now than ever before to finally escape her. Even if it’s just escaping the memory of her.” He poured a glass of water for Saeran. “Here. Drink. The doc said you need it.”

Saeran accepted it, but just held it, rather than drinking. “You still have the dreams?”

“Yeah. I do. Wish I could say I didn’t. But I don’t throw up, either.”

“I just threw up because I saw your face,” Saeran shot. He regretted it. Saeyoung always got annoying when Saeran joked or when he thought Saeran was joking. Saeyoung thought it meant Saeran was accepting him again and starting to like him. That wasn’t the case.

“Yeah? Want me to dress up as a nurse again? You liked that before, didn’t you?”

Saeran made a face. “That would give me worse nightmares. You’re an idiot.”

Saeyoung grinned. It wasn’t his usual joyful smile but it was honest, at least. It had been a long time since he’d been able to genuinely smile. It wasn’t completely happy but since getting Saeran back, his smiles were more genuine. “You want to go back to sleep?” Saeyoung asked. It was the middle of the night still.

“No,” Saeran admitted quietly. “I don’t want to dream.”

“The doctor said it’s normal.”

“Well, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.” Saeran looked away.

“Yeah. You’re right. Wanna watch a movie? If you want, I won’t even talk through it.” Saeyoung wouldn’t leave the room. He hadn’t left since they brought Saeran in.

Saeran wanted the distraction. A movie might be okay. It wouldn’t completely take his mind off of his dreams but it would pass the time. And he’d never say it but maybe Saeyoung chattering all through the movie without saying anything important would put Saeran more at ease. “You don’t have to not talk. You’d probably explode if you couldn’t talk for an hour.” Saeran tried to make it sound aloof, like he didn’t care. But he saw Saeyoung smile from the corner of his eye.

“You’re right. I would explode. Just so you don’t have to clean up my exploded remains, I’ll talk through the movie. But maybe I’ll try to be quiet. But I probably won’t be.” Saeyoung knew Saeran was having trouble adjusting. Call it the intuition of a twin, but Saeyoung could tell that Saeran needed him now. Saeran hated him but he was still the older brother who had always promised to take care of Saeran. And even if Saeran continued to hate him, Saeyoung would always be like that with him. “I’ll go grab something. Any requests?”

Saeran just glared. The hospital only had about 15 movies so there weren’t a lot of choices and most of the movies were terrible. Saeyoung laughed and left the room. He wouldn’t be gone long. Saeran finally drank the water Saeyoung left. The silence and the empty room got to him. He was only alone for a short time but he couldn’t stop the tears. He cried silently. Things were supposed to get better now. And they would. But not right now. Right now, everything hurt. It would for a while still. Some had warned it would get worse before it got better. Saeran believed that. Everything was pain for him.

Saeyoung returned to the room, a movie in his hand. He saw the tears instantly but he knew not to bring attention to it. He silently put the movie on and took a seat next to his brother. They had never watched movies together as children but they had read together. So in a way, watching a movie was familiar. Saeyoung started his commentary instantly. Saeran rarely (if ever) spoke but eventually, his tears dried. And eventually, he even fell asleep. Saeyoung watched while he slept and for once, Saeran didn’t seem to be dreaming.

“I’m glad you’re back, Saeran… Sorry it took me so long.”


End file.
